HALF DAY PRESCHOOL
We are thrilled to offer this program for the eleventh year to those who are interested in having their children involved in an educational and social setting on a campus with much to offer!
What
makes Peace of Mind different than other programs?
One aspect that makes us very different from other programs is the way that we structure the children’s time with us. We believe children learn by doing, and play is their work. We offer a setting that has a good balance of teacher-initiated and child-initiated activities, but all of which are planned and structured by the teacher who has specific objectives in mind. The teacher’s ability to pick up on the children’s cues and ask open-ended questions can further enhance the children’s interest in each activity they try. You won’t find the teacher simply “maintaining” or managing the classroom, but rather you will find the teacher involved and “engaging” the classroom as an active partner, listening to and encouraging the children’s work and play.
POM requires that our lead teachers have a four-year degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education or another closely related field. Each lead teacher works closely with the founder, who holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. The lead teacher of the half day pre-school program, Sue Peisert, has been with Peace of Mind since 2003, and truly enjoys working with young children. She is an especially patient, caring, kind and understanding teacher who appreciates the delicate balance of giving students the time to work independently and to interact with the teacher.
Our main goal for the children in the half-day program is to develop
the desire they already have to learn, and to prepare them for a life long
love of learning as they begin a long journey through their school years.
We wish to help each child learn and grow as much as possible within the
scope of each school year. That is why, we benchmark each child at the
beginning of each school year, and set goals that are individual to the
child in partnership with parents, and then use these goals as we are
setting the curriculum for the entire class. Of course, we have minimums
that we expect each class to meet that are “on track” for a child’s age and
stage of development, but most importantly, we take into consideration what
each parent has in mind for their child, and what the child wishes to
accomplish as well.
Which
session is for the three-year-olds?
We anticipate that the T/Th class is best suited for
children ages three and four. The M/W/F class will be
structured for students ages four and five. However, we
will offer some flexibility within that, as is our
philosophy…on a case by case basis. Please discuss this
with the founder or director during your enrollment tour
if you would like to enroll in a different class. The
teacher assesses each child’s strengths and abilities,
and then uses this information to develop lesson plans
geared to each individual child. This means, children
will be challenged, but not overwhelmed. We also truly
believe, and research strongly supports, that a mix of
ages among the children has great benefits in the
learning process for preschoolers. The younger children
learn from those who have mastered some advanced skills,
and the older children learn by teaching others.
Our primary form of discipline is to
use redirection. We also make
eye contact, use reasoning skills and help the children to understand and
make decisions that everyone can be satisfied with.
We DO NOT use time out as a regular form of discipline.
Children are also involved in developing a set of classroom
expectations, and for determining logical consequences if expectations are
not met.
We use a portfolio system
to assess the children in several different areas and tasks each month. We
hold conferences twice a year, in the fall and in the spring. At the fall
conference, we “show” you one sample of each of those tasks and where your
child is starting out for the year, and also ask you to share your goals for
your child with the teacher. Then at the spring conference, we share three
or four samples of each portfolio task and celebrate how much your child has
learned and progressed during the year. Assessment is ongoing through the
school year, and is used by the teacher to shape the lesson plans for the
entire group!
To meet the state requirements and rules of our license we hold for
this program, children DO need to be potty trained for our M, W, F program.
They need to be “nearly potty trained” for the Tuesday/Thursday class – and
we’ll talk about what “nearly potty trained” means in person. If they are
close…they will probably be ok. We don’t want a child who is three to miss
out on a whole year of pre-school because they are not quite potty trained
in September. We understand that accidents sometimes happen and we are
prepared for that. We recommend keeping a change of clothes in your child’s
backpack in case of an accident or spill.
Your child does not need to be three by September 1st to attend our program, they must however, be at least 33 months old by Sept. 1st to apply. They also need to be “nearly” potty trained. Besides the fact that your child must be “nearly” potty trained, the biggest thing to consider is the structure and philosophy of the program and whether or not you feel it will work for your child.
For
reasons of timing and safety, we do not provide any transportation to or
from the program for any of the sessions offered.
The
class you choose for your child begins and ends at a certain time, just like
a swimming class would at the YMCA. However, additional care may be
available by contract, for a supplementary fee, if arrangements are made in
advance. The additional fee for child care after class is $8.00 per hour,
for a child already enrolled in the preschool program. A late fee of $15
for every quarter hour will apply if a child remains after class has ended,
and previous arrangements have not been made for care.
Our rates may be different for a
couple of reasons. First, we are a completely
independent program. We don’t receive a subsidy
from anyone – not a church or the local school district,
or anyone, so our tuition covers the entire cost of
running the program, where many other programs may not
cover their entire cost. Secondly, it has always
been our goal to provide the absolute best in quality of
care and programming. To do so requires that we
set high standards for our teaching team. We
charge the lowest rate that we can, while maintaining
the high quality that is essential for our children and
families. We believe that once you experience our
program, you will quickly understand the differences
between our program and all others, and that you will
find our program to be a good value for your child!
enrollment options
Option #1
(Designed for 3 and 4 year olds)
Option #2
(Designed for 4 and 5 year olds)
Option #3
(Special Spanish Enrichment program
designed primarily for 4 and 5 year olds)
Enrollment forms
Enrollment ChecklistEnrollment Agreement
Enrollment Contract
Handbook
Other Forms
Peace of Mind is a preschool and daycare facility in Woodbury, MN. Locally owned and operated for over 17 years we are proud to serve the parents of our community. Our core service area includes: Woodbury, MN, Lake Elmo, Stillwater, Maplewood, Oakdale, Afton, and Cottage Grove.